The Brooklyn Nets have announced the hiring of Jordi Fernandez as their next head coach, as reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Fernandez is a fast-rising assistant who spent six years under Michael Malone with the Denver Nuggets before joining the Sacramento Kings as their associate head coach under Mike Brown in the 2022-23 season.
Fernandez played a key role in helping lead the Kings to becoming a winning team and also serves as the head coach of Canada’s national team, guiding them to a bronze medal at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. With significant coaching turnover in recent years, including Kenny Atkinson being ousted during the 2018-19 season and Steve Nash being replaced after little over two seasons, the Nets are looking for new leadership as they transition from rebuild to contention following the departure of Durant, Irving, and Harden.
At just 41 years old, Fernandez has proven himself to be one of the NBA’s top assistants and his experience at both the NBA and international levels make him an exciting addition to the Nets. With a surplus of draft picks acquired from trading their superstars, the Nets are looking to develop young talent and potentially trade for another star player in the future. Donovan Mitchell has been rumoured as a potential target to pair with existing key players like Mikal Bridges and Nic Claxton. Bridges has a contract below market value for the next two years, giving the Nets a window to significantly enhance their roster.